PGW Completes Testing with DOE on Sungate® EP Glass
June 3, 2009

Pittsburgh Glass Works LLC (PGW) has announced that it has completed testing with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that shows that its Sungate EP auto glass improves fuel efficiency and cabin comfort in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

According to a statement from PGW, the testing was conducted on PHEVs while utilizing the vehicles' air conditioning; the groups found that the PHEV was cooler and used less fuel in a test that simulated the Sungate EP glazing in the windshield and backlites than in a vehicle with standard glazing. The test utilized the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS), also known as the "city test," as specified by the Environmental Protection Agency for city driving.

"Over repeated UDDS cycles, the Sungate EP glazing reduced the air conditioning power and resulted in an increase in fuel economy," says John Rugh, senior mechanical engineer for NREL. "The adjusted, utility factor-weighted fuel economy increased from 36.8 to 42.9 mpg for the Sungate EP thermal load case, while the adjusted, UF-weighted electrical energy consumption was roughly equivalent."

The adjustment and utility factor take into account real world factors such as aggressive driving and miles driven between charging.

Mukesh Rustagi, PGW's director of strategic product management, says that the Sungate EP infrared reflective glazing has been designed to reject almost 97 percent of the sun's infrared energy. The lower heat load due to the Sungate EP glazing in the test vehicle resulted in a 15 degree F reduction in cabin air temperature at the end of the heat soak period. After running the vehicle for approximately 1.5 hours, with the air conditioner set on maximum, the cabin air temperature for the Sungate EP case was still 4.5 degrees cooler than base glass.

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